Settlement
by collinfan
Summary: Any other day, time, or situation Jughead Jones would have said he was fine. He was perfect. He was ok. He was not afraid or feeling otherwise conflicted. Now here he was, standing in the middle of the street and looking at the Andrew's house praying a car would run him over. Taking him away from the boy he shouldn't, but did oh so much love. (Originally pub. by Alayna Schlemmer)


Any other day, time, place, or situation Jughead Jones would have said he was fine. He was perfect. He was ok. He was not afraid. Or scared. Or feeling otherwise conflicted. But it was today, it was getting near dusk, he was in front of the Andrew's house on Second Street, and it was a very conflicted and odd situation and he did in fact feel very much afraid.

Jughead sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. He winced at the bruise that was just starting to form under his chin. He didn't even know why he was here in front of 1248- or he did, but didn't understand it.

A year ago it wouldn't had been strange that he was here on this street. In fact, a year ago he would have already been inside the house, butt in a chair and stuffing his face with god knows what and talking and laughing with a red hair boy.

Now here he was, standing in the middle of the street and looking at the Andrew's house very much like a stalker or something of the sort with his heart about to burst out of his chest. He looked down the street and whished a car would come around the bend a little too fast, and a little too wild and hit him just enough so he wouldn't have to be standing here. But a car wasn't coming. It was getting darker and, he knew, he had to do this. The day held too many questions and not enough answers and the weeks were brimming with slow burning tension.

Walking up the lawn and up the steps, Jughead knocked on the door and was greeted by Fred Andrews. The older man blinked looking for all the world surprised to see Jughead at his door. The two had not set eyes on each other since a year ago. Jughead studied him and he knew the older man was doing the same to him.

Fred was looking very much his forty years. His hair was going thin and flecks of grey were starting to show in his temples. Wrinkles barely showing unless one looked hard enough were starting to form on his forehead. Dark shadows were forming under his eyes.

Jughead knew Fred probably saw a young man who one was a little on the heavy side now very much thin. No muscles replaced the lost weight. His hair, once short and cut just at the ears, was now swept back and messy almost touching his earlobes. His prized hat was patched and worn and his cloths not much better. He had changed in the past year.

"Jughead," Fred stated thought it came out more of a question. "This house hasn't see you around for a while."

Jughead let himself smile a little bit, "I've been busy. Is Archie home?"

Fred nodded and frowned, "You wouldn't know anything about the shiner he is sporting would you?"

Jughead thought how best to answer. He did know about the shiner. Archie had gotten the shiner thanks to him. Archie had defended him. But he just didn't know why. Why had Archie defended him? Why had he gotten a shiner? "I know who gave it to him, but I'm just as lost as you as on to why he has it."

"May I come in, Mr. Andrews?"

Fred opened the door and stood aside. "You know you don't have to ask. He's downstairs."

Jughead thanked him and begin to make his way down the hall to the kitchen where he could walk down stairs, but Fred halted him, "I am curious, Jughead. Did something happen between you and Archie? You used to be stuck together like glue."

"I'm about to go find out, Mr. Andrews." With that Jughead walked on, through the kitchen and down the stairs.

When he got downstairs, Jughead was met with steady music and the _thrang, thrang_ of a bow and a young women's yells. He was met with a flat screen tv displaying a red haired women in stone-age quasi get up shooting a thrumming bow at a robotic dinosaur. The words _**Horizon Zero Dawn**_ coming onto the screen.

Ah, PlayStation. Jughead ached to hold the remote and feel the thrill of the game. He watched Archie: tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth, his breathing chest heaving, sweat on his forehead from the humid air, his right eye squinted due to the now swelling black eye. He was clothed in a tank top, his arms, once as lanky as Jug's, now full and filled out due to football. Sweat pants hanging on his hips.

Jughead felt his heart lurch. He frowned. He willed his heart to be still. Told it that it was a fool's folly. It didn't listen.

Jug sighed, steeled himself, and then called out to Archie. The boy whirled around his face flashing something before falling away to a mask of noncommittal façade.

"Jughead," Archie stated putting the controller down on the couch beside him. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Jug said, stepping down the last step and stopping at the couch. Only a backrest was between the two and for Jughead it was too far away yet too near.

"I live here. You though don't. "Archie said wearily, "I told dad I didn't want to see anyone."

"I meant what are you doing down here. You only come down here alone when you're…troubled. I'd ask you what was troubling you, but you and I already know what it is don't we?"

Archie glared, "Don't."

Jughead scoffed, holding up his hands, and locking eyes with the red haired, "I won't. Remember I don't know anything about you."

Archie licked his lips, "Your right. You don't. You didn't answer me: What are you doing here."

Jug came around the couch and surveyed the room. There was a lot of memories in this room. A lot of summers playing games and lazing about. A lot of winters of movies and hot coco. Happy, wonderful memories. Of course, those memories also blurred lines of what Jughead knew and didn't know of his own heart. It was during those times, a long time ago even if it was a year ago, he fell in love with the man in front of him.

"Why did you defend me today?"

"I wasn't. Reggie had it a long time coming. Everyone knows that." Archie chuckled darkly.

"No. Everyone saw it as I did. Reggie spouting off shit at me and you jumping him and getting you a shiner."

"You just so happened to be standing there." Archie was not looking at him now.

"Archie," Jughead said and caused the boy to look at him, "why?"

Archie yelled in frustration and hit his leg, "I don't know. Reggie is an ass. I couldn't just let him say you, you know. Hell, to say anyone did what was done to Jason is…" he trailed off as his emotions caught his breath.

He sat down heavy on the couch. "Seeing you like that. Backed against the wall. I just couldn't bear it. I was always the one sticking up for you, you know and when I saw Reggie and heard what he was saying I just reacted. God. Things are so messed up. I'm so messed up, "This last part was said in a whisper so low Jug wasn't sure he heard it at first.

Jug walked over to the couch and gradually sat down besides Archie. In his whole life time, Archie Andrews never really cried. If he did it was only because he was at his breaking point and to Jughead this was a very logical breaking point. "They say teenage years are the most messed up in any point in our lives."

Archie looked up from between his hands, "I'm sure they weren't talking about a murder and banging your music teacher over the summer."

"Maybe not, but even so," Jug shrugged. "Thanks by the way. You know for," he pointed to Archie's shiner.

They sat in silence for a while. Jug head watched Archie out of the corner of his eye. He wanted to push back Archie's hair from his eyes, take him by the hand, and hug him close. He couldn't though, sadly. So, he settled for the next best thing, "What happen between us, Arch?"

"I don't know."

Jughead nodded, "Do you think we could ever go back to before?"

"After all I said and done to you?" Archie asked Jug wincing.

Jughead acted like he was thinking of it but he had already thought it over long ago, "It wasn't right or by any means cool. It hurt, I'll be man enough to admit. I'll also admit I do miss my friend sometimes."

"Only sometimes?" Archie teased then he reached out and put his hand over Jug's causing the other to flinch in surprise. Archie went to move his hand off but Jughead caught it. He locked eyes with him, "I'm sorry. For what I said. For what I did. Bailing on you. Calling you out. You were just trying to help. I was being stupid. Your right, though. She is messing with me. Maybe even using me. I decided I'd tell the principle Monday. About the gunshot at least."

"Really?" Jug exclaimed and smirked but quickly dropped hit when Archie's forlorn eyes looked at him, "Sorry."

They were facing each other now knees to knees. Jughead was aware of this and wondered if Archie was too. "I think you getting that shiner for me and maybe a good three weeks of burgers and shakes may make it a deal."

Jughead touched the shiner. He wondered if yet again if Archie knew how they looked sitting like this. How it was come to this. Could Archie feel his heart pounding away? Maybe this was some dream. He was really asleep and he would wake up and poof! All gone.

He found his mouth working before his brain, "Archie. I like you, more than a friend. I always have I think. And it's killing me to not have you as a friend. I hate what happened this summer. Your right it's all messed up- but you're not messed up. I know you don't want to hear it, but I think she is messing with you and I'm glad you are going to go to Jobs. I came here to see if you're ok and to thank you even though I'm mad at you and I guess to also tell you how I feel which I didn't plan. And it's stupid because you're Archie Andrews. Straight laced and the guy all girls want. We know Betty wants you and-"

"I don't want Betty. I told her I couldn't love her like that."

Archie did not look pale, sick, mad or disgusted. In fact, he looked calm. He smiled. A little smile but still a smile none the less. He held Jug's hand with a surer grip. "I'm sorry again for everything. You were-are- right. You know when I was with Grundy I thought I was in love or something, but I think I was just trying to feel what I thought was normal. If I was with her I wouldn't have to think so much on other thoughts that I couldn't and didn't want to explain to myself or hope for. But then the gunshot happened and Jason and it started to become something else then just trying to change what I was feeling. Who I was feeling them for."

Jug leaned a little closer to Archie daring to hope, "Which is?"

Archie whispered, closing the gap, "I like you. I always have too and hearing you say it. Admit it makes me feel happy and relieved. I thought pushing you away would help but it hasn't. I need you too."

They went to kiss. Jug's face titling to the side. Archie's hand in his. Closer and closer they come near…then they Jug feel forward on the couch and hit Archie's sore eye with his head. Archie yelped.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Jughead exclaimed. He jumped up. "Shit! Should I get some ice?"

Archie winced and touched the black bruise. He shook his head and pulled Jughead back, "No. Just come here and kiss me. I'll be fine. We'll be fine. All I need is you and this whole mess up story will be easier to handle."

So Jughead leaned forward and finally kissed his longtime friend. It felt right. Warm. Safe. They laid together. Jughead under Archie's chin waiting for sleep and a new dawn to come. Together. Together they could handle anything.

 _ **FIN**_

 **I would like to dedicate this to the creator of the original Archie comics and the CW show and actors of Riverdale. Thank you so much for getting me back into writing and giving me such good ideas to use and letting me play in your universe. I would also love to thank my readers for taking the time to read this story and hope I did a good job for you.**

 **Please feel free to leave any comments you may have.**


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